U.S. Representative Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) has clarified that his proposed bill, the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), is not intended to authorize military action against Mexico itself but rather "against the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels." Crenshaw made this statement on the social media platform X on November 13.

"The real threat here is the cartels that are at war with both us and our Mexican allies," said U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, U.S. Rep from Texas, Former Navy Seal. "These criminal organizations are flooding our streets with fentanyl, killing over 80,000 Americans every year, while also terrorizing Mexican communities. Our bill authorizes the use of military force—not against Mexico, but against the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels. We're giving the President the tools needed to dismantle these cartels, using intelligence, surveillance, and cyber capabilities to disrupt their operations."

According to Crenshaw's House website, he and U.S. Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL) introduced the AUMF on January 13, 2023. The bill aims to employ military force specifically against the Mexican cartels known as Sinaloa and Jalisco.

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The legislation targets these cartels due to their involvement in trafficking and distributing fentanyl, which reportedly caused 100,000 American deaths last year. Additionally, these cartels have been engaged in conflict with the Mexican government, contributing to increased illegal immigration and posing a threat to U.S. law enforcement. Waltz said, "The situation at our southern border has become untenable for our law enforcement personnel largely due to the activities spurred by the heavily armed and well-financed Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels."

Crenshaw reiterated that "we are not going to war with Mexico," emphasizing that the bill's focus is on combating the cartels that pose a threat both to the United States and its Mexican allies. He noted that over 100 politicians were killed in Mexico's recent election cycle due to cartel involvement.

Crenshaw is a Navy SEAL veteran who serves as the U.S. Representative for Texas’s Second Congressional District.